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Sector

Careers in Appliances & Electrical Equipment

Appliances and electrical equipment manufacturing builds household and commercial electrical products. Moderate concentration at larger employers (5.9% at 250+) with union presence (8.5%) and mostly on-site work.

406K
U.S. jobs
In this sector
$59K
Median salary
Across all roles
Appliances & Electrical Equipment jobs by metro area
Bubble size = total employment
Appliances & Electrical Equipment employment by metro ยท ~393 areas
1.Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA6K
2.New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ6K
3.Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN5K
4.Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX4K
5.Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI4K

Jobs per 100K workforce โ€” measures industry density

1.Elkhart-Goshen, IN463.5
2.Columbus, IN341.5
3.Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI315.6
4.Oshkosh-Neenah, WI305.1
5.Spartanburg, SC303.8
BLS OEWS May 2024
Understanding this Sector
What it's like to work in Appliances & Electrical Equipment

Appliances and electrical equipment manufacturing produces products homes and businesses depend on โ€” there's satisfaction in making functional equipment, technical manufacturing, and products with clear utility. Many find meaning in making things that work.

The challenge can come from automation and competition. Appliance manufacturing has consolidated; offshore competition is significant. Automation has reduced labor needs. Production roles can be repetitive. Large appliance plants are concentrated in specific regions.

The field varies by product and role. Major appliances differ from small appliances, electrical equipment, or lighting. Assembly differs from engineering, quality, or logistics. Branded manufacturers operate differently than suppliers or contract manufacturers.

For those who thrive here, the rewards are genuine: making products people use, often stable employment in remaining facilities, manufacturing without extreme conditions, and technical variety. If you want appliance manufacturing careers and can find positions in this consolidated industry, it offers solid opportunities.

How people break in

Production positions are accessible. Technical and engineering roles require relevant training. Quality and operations management develop with experience.

Work environment tends toward
Assembly operationsQuality focusSupply chain integrationProduction rolesTechnical advancement
Industries it connects to
RetailConstructionUtilitiesTechnology
Salary vs. national average
-16%
$59K median vs. $71K national
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0K$17K$38K$150K$239K*387 metro areas across 50 states, sorted by salary level โ†’
Salary range across all appliances & electrical equipment roles
Where your dollar goes furthest
1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$95K
2. Boulder$80K
3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$77K
4. Trenton-Princeton$72K
5. Durham-Chapel Hill$72K
BLS OEWS May 2024
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.

Median salaries range from ~$73K in mid-market metros to ~$107K in top-tier cities. But cost of living closes a lot of that gap โ€” metros with lower regional price parities often offer the best purchasing power.

Highest paying
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $107K
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ยท $91K
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $84K
Best purchasing power
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $95K adj.
Boulder ยท $80K adj.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $77K adj.
Most jobs
New York ยท 20.6M
Los Angeles ยท 13.6M
Chicago ยท 10.3M
BLS OEWS May 2024 ยท BEA Regional Price Parities

What the data says about this sector

Beyond salary and job counts โ€” signals that shape the day-to-day experience of working in Appliances & Electrical Equipment.

๐Ÿšช
Annual Quit Rate
Based on all Manufacturing data
18%
People tend to stay in Manufacturing. Lower turnover often indicates better working conditions or higher switching costs.
โ†“ 4%vs. 22% all industries
๐Ÿข
Typical Employer Size
Small-skewed
Small businesses dominate. More variety in roles but less formal structure and benefits.
75%
Small
<50
19%
Mid
50โ€“249
6%
Large
250+
๐Ÿ 
Remote / Hybrid Prevalence
mostly_onsite
Many roles can be done remotely. Location flexibility is a realistic expectation.
Mostly on-siteHybrid commonRemote-first
๐Ÿ“‹
Credential Density
Moderate
Most roles don't require formal credentials. Skills and experience matter more than certificates.
Few credentialsSome requiredMany required
๐Ÿค
Union Presence
Based on all Manufacturing data
~9%
Minimal union coverage means compensation is individually negotiated. Know your market rate going in.
โ†“ 9%vs. 11% all industries
BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Union Members Summary 2024
Career Tracks

Career tracks in Appliances & Electrical Equipment

How jobs in this sector break down by function, and what they typically pay.

Admin & Office
9%
$63K median
Explore โ†’
Maintenance & Repair
8%
$56K median
Explore โ†’
Engineering
8%
$83K median
Explore โ†’
Business Operations
8%
$77K median
Explore โ†’
Transportation
7%
$53K median
Explore โ†’
Arts & Media
6%
$73K median
Explore โ†’
Median salary for occupations employed within Appliances & Electrical Equipment. BLS OEWS May 2024.

Explore careers in Appliances & Electrical Equipment

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) ยท BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034
Truest editorial: Industry narrative, sector context, career track mapping, working signals analysis.